Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms Music Review | h Magazine's hmonthly.com

Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms Music Review

Posted on 07. Dec, 2009 by Administrator in Music

Neon Indian is the moniker for Alan Palomo, whose multimedia, synth-heavy experimentations resulted in the blistering backbeats and glitchy twitches of Psychic Chasms, where swollen notes from big mouthfuls of keyboards fill in the sound with a Motown inspired, ‘80s dance floor atmosphere. Palomo has taken the population’s love of cheesy keys and twisted it into a psychedelic soul-fest with sonic whirs, fizzles, and whispered vocals. Combining what seems like video game theme music and ‘80s movie soundtracks, Palomo spits out a unique, lo-fi brand of pop that is as catchy as it is irreverent and youthful. (He’s only 21, after all.)

“Mind, Drips” is deliriously flowing, with a strange Bowser’s Castle downbeat countered by spooky “ooh’s” that could be used for a pretty damn good haunted house, Halloween, or otherwise. The title track smacks of Prince, replete with playful synth blares and slick guitar lines that snake smoothly back and forth. There’s also the lazy, sun-baked sprawl of “Deadbeat Summer”, a perfect mash-up of dreamy pop and electronic playfulness.

The secret to Palomo’s success is his ability to balance ‘80s nostalgia and his lo-fi experiments. He continually introduces new sounds, strange frequencies, and bleeps into what would otherwise be a very mellow mix. His detached, breathy vocals about “deadbeat” summers, drugs, and heartache are carried along on waves of bouncy electronics and digital harmonies, creating melodic and slightly abstract songs that fans of the slickest pop and the most avant-garde indie rock can appreciate.

Good For: Convertibles, having a naked party while house-sitting in the hills of Hollywood, slow-motion good times, Tom Selleck’s mustache.

Bad For: Chopping onions, baseball games, having way too much in common with your parents, Twister.

–words by Lauren Piper

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